Hop-extracting apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT ADOLPH HAMMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOP-EXTRACTING APPARATUS,

Specification of- Letters Patent No. 12,204, datedfJanuary 9,y 1.85.5.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ADoLPH HAMMER, of the city of Philadelphia and State of Penn- Sylvania, have invented a new and'useful Apparatus for- Producing the Extract from Hops by the Application of Heat by Steam; and I dofhereby declare that the following is aY full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, refl providing a suitable metallic vessel, of peculiar construction, adapted for holding the quantity of hops required for a brewing of malt liquor, and retaining therein while vpartially immersed in the boiling fluid used for the purpose, during the process of extraction, the essential oil or volatile principle of the hops, without 'the possibility of any considerable lossthereof from evaporation or waste.

The retaining vessel (A, A,;) is made cylindrical and in two parts, (av receiver and cover,) capable of being` readilyv adjusted together-the cover fitting accurately over the outside of the upper end of the receiver, and

being held thereto by the slots (a, a,) inv the cover, interlocking (by giving a slight horizontal motion to the cover) with the projecting pins (b, 6,) on the outside of the receiver-or in any other suitable manner. Across, near the bottom of the receiver, a wire gauze (c) is secured, vfitting closely around to the inner sidelike a sieve. The cover has its upper end closed by a diaphragm of sheet metal (d) soldered or otherwise secured, (air tight), around on the inside, a short distance below the upper edge. This diaphragm (d) is perforated with one or more holes, each hav-ing a tube (e) iitted within it flush with the upper surface of the diaphragm, and` solderedfast, (air tight) so as to extend perpendicularly downward far enough to bring its lower end nearly on a line withy the lower edges of the cover; and, overthe lower, end of this tube a wire gauze- (f), is secured by a flat ring (g), or other-y wise. The whole of this vessel, which,v for distinction, I call the retainingk vessel, made of sheet copper or 1ron, and copper wire or galvanized iron wire gauze, or woven;

wire. v n The boiling vessel (B.) is made externally in the form of a conical frustum, ofcedar wood, and firmly bound around with hoops. Nearthe larger and lower end, a

bottom (7L) is fixed, whichis madeconcave,y on the upper side, and withr a suitable hole.7

(i) in its centerfor the introduction offa tap and faucet, vor stop-cock. A shortl dis; tance `above this bottom (7L) two strongI cross pieces (7c, c,) arelirmly secured across the vessel, to the inner andxopposite sides, in horizontal positions, at the sameheight and parallelwvith'each other. Andv upon these., two cross pieces the retaining vessel placed when. charged with vthe hops.

`Around on the inner sideiof, the boiling. ves; sel', a short distance below its upper end,v aA continuous projection (Z, Z, 1,) is fornnedfit beingl about ve or six inches wide, slightly' inclined. on the upper side, and concave; or` y deiiected on the under side. -The medium vessel should be.

diameter of this boilin such as to allowzthe retainingA vessell to vvb e readily loweredthrough this-'inner projecting ring' (Z, Z, Z,) and placed centrally upon the supporting cross pieces 7c, A

serpentine coil (made of copper pipe of- `about one and a quarter inchesin diameter,)

is intended to be placed inthe inside orffthis4 vessel (B) so as' to rest a little above,` andnearly cover its bottom ,-the two endsv of the coil passing out through the side of the:

vessel, and connecting, onewith any suitable steam generator, .and the other withan es;- cape pipe; and both fitted with suitable stop cocks or steam valves.

cocks and connections, are regarded as sufliciently understood, I dognot deem it necesfv sary to describe them.

Havingthus described the construction` of my invention, I will proceed to describe its operation. n

The propery quantity of hops for a brievv-Y As the construction and adaptation of this coil of pipe, with its;

ing, being inclosed within the retaining vessel (A), it is lowered down into the boiling vessel (B) and placed so as to rest centrally upon the supporting cross pieces (k, 76,) as before described. The hole in the bottom bein closed by a tap and faucets, or stop cock, the extracting fluid is now run into the boiling vessel (B), until it reaches within about (say) four inches of the diaphragm (d) of the cover of the retaining vessel (A)-there being a small vent cock previously fixed in the said cover, for the purpose of allowing the escape of atmospheric air as the fluid rises above the lower `end of the tube (e) therein, which cock is closed when the fluid reaches the designated height in the retaining vessel (A)thus leaving therein an empty space, of about four inches height, between the surface of the fluid and the diaphragm (al) and the surface of this fluid being considerably above the lower edge of the cover, and consequently also above the lower end of the tube (e)-this space is sealed from the open air outside.` I now commence the extracting process, by boiling the fluid in the vessel (B) by the application of heat by steam passed continuously through the serpentine coil lying over the bottom. The boiling is continued very moderately, except only, occasionally it is increased, so that, by the increased agitation from the ebulition, portions of the fluid are caused to be forced upward, and by the concave projection (Z, Z, Z,) above deflected over the upper edge of the cover of the retaining vessel, upon the diaphragm (d), from whence it runs down the tube (e) and through the wire gauze (f) int-o the retaining vessel. And thus I am enabled, at pleasure, by simply increasing the current of steam passing through the Serpentine coil, to pass fresh fluid through the retaining vessel as that contained therein may need displacement. This boiling process is continued until all the desired qualities are extracted from the hops, and thoroughly incorporated with the fluidwhen all the fluid extract is let off through the faucet or cock in the bottom, into any suitable vessel, for use as required.

In order more clearly to point out peculiar facts, showing the superior advantages of my invention, I willfirst describe the utensils and process in general use by other brewers, for making the necessary extract from hops. For this purpose, they boil the hops with the wort, generally in an open copper vessel, over a fire. The hops, being lighter, incline to float upon the surface of the wort, and much of the volatile oil necessarily escapes as extracted, with the steam or vapor from the boiling wort, and is consequently lost. A dome, or cover, having a large vertical pipe'or tube for conducting o the escape steam or vapor is sometimes used, but its effect is, rather-to increase than diminish the loss of the best portion of the volatile oil-and it will not answer to contract this escape tube so as to check materially the escape of steam and the volatile oil, as the heat then is apt to become too great in the fluid, and char the saccharine matter of the wort. After the hops have been thus boiled sufficiently, the contents of the copper, (including the hops) are run off'into a vessel called the hop-bag-a large fiat vessel, in which the fluid extract is separated by straining from the hops, and runs to the cooler. Now, as the quantity of oil in one hundred pounds of hops is only about two and half ounces, it is manifest that the loss of even one drop of it, will -materially effect and impoverish the flavor and keeping qualities of the malt liquor; and that wit-h the utensils and process just described for extracting from the hops, not only many drops, but nearly all the most volatile and best portion of the essential oil is entirely lost; besides the risk incurred of charring the saccharine matter of the wort; and also the trouble and imperfection of the necessary subsequent straining process. To obviate these objections, and consequently to improve the quality of the maltliquor, is the object effected by the use of my invention. V

It will be perceived, that in the use of my invention or apparatus, the essential volatile oil, as extracted from the hops, is retained in the vessel (A) until absorbed or intimately combined with the extracting fluid,

(as, being lighter, its tendency is to occupy the sealed space (in the form of vapor) in the upper part of the retaining vessel), and not until so combined, by the heat and ebullition, does it pass with the fluid throu h the lower gauze (e), into and pervade te whole mass on the outside, and consequently b-ut a very minute and almost imperceptible portion can escape afterward with the vapor into the open atmosphere. And if wort is used for making the extract, there is no risk incurred of charring the saccharine matter thereof, as the liquor is boiled by steam; and the boiling vessel being largely open at the top, there is no compression of the accumulating vapor which would aid in increasing the heat of the fluid. And further, there is advantage in the fact, that in the 'simple running off, after the`boiling is nished, all the fluid extract is at the same time perfectly separated from the remaining fibrous matter or hop leaves-they being, from the commencement, perfectly retained in the vessel (A)-and hence also, the usual expense for the hop-bag, required heretofore, is entirely avoided. n

Having thus given a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of my invention, I proceed to state boiling vessel (B) or any equivalent device, for the purpose of boiling the hops Within 10 the said retaining vessel, substantially as described.

A. HAMMER. Witnesses:

BENJ. MORRISON, MICHAEL R. ASH. 

